USC basketball has suffered the loss of freshman star Isaiah Collier, but this could mean faster development for other players on the team. The first name that comes to mind for many is Bronny James. Collier will be out for 4-6 weeks with a hand injury. He is one of the leading scorers on the team with a 15.4 average, shooting 50.6% from the field in his first collegiate season. James now steps in to take a larger role as one of the Trojans' lead guards.

James has been a solid role piece for USC basketball, but he hasn't been able to play freely with the ball in his hands. He's played more of a shooting guard role that gets plugged in and out of the game, mostly shooting three-point attempts. In his first season with the Trojans, James has averaged 5.9 points and 2.3 rebounds. This comes with a small sample size, playing in eight college basketball games to date.

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There are questions surrounding whether this will be James' only season in college basketball since the assumed thought is he'll be playing with his father LeBron James in the NBA at some point. If James has an increased role with Collier on the sideline, it give him a chance to boost his draft stock for 2024.

He hasn't been known to be a very flashy player who takes control of the game as a guard, but he's a qualified shooter who has a high IQ in the open space. A couple more field goal attempts and an increased role could be the difference between James declaring for the 2024 NBA draft or staying for another season.